NEW YORK CITY — The federal government's shutdown that began on Tuesday morning sent thousands of non-essential New York-based federal employees home and shuttered National Park facilities, including the Statue of Liberty.
Federal lawmakers were unable to reach an agreement on how to keep the United States properly financed by the midnight deadline, prompting most federal agencies to halt all non-essential functions, send 800,000 workers nationwide home on furloughs, and require millions more to work without pay, The New York Times reported.
In New York City, as many as 50,000 federal employees will be affected, which could in turn mean a dip in business for shops that operate near federal agencies and depend on those employees, according to WNYC.
Travel will likely continue unabated as passport offices will open and air traffic controllers will continue to work, the radio station reported.
But those who want to visit the Statue of Liberty, Ellis Island and other National Park facilities in New York will find them closed, the Parks Service announced.
Social Security checks will still be processed, but some services — like hearings on claims — will be limited and others halted altogether, officials said.
Though some services will be disrupted, Veterans Affairs will continue close to normal, the administration said.
The federal courts, Postal Service and National Weather Service planned to operate as usual, according to reports.
Most benefits programs will continue unabated, according to WNYC, though applicants will likely have to wait longer for processing.
Members of the military will continue to be paid through the shutdown, the Times reported.
